All the most vulnerable segments of the population in Bulgaria will receive more in 2026. This was stated by the Minister of Labor and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov before the National Assembly during the debates on the adoption of the first vote of the State Social Security Budget Bill.
Minister Gutsanov gave several examples – the increase from 780 leva to 900 leva of the childcare allowance in the second year after a three-year freeze. “And not only is the amount of the allowance increasing, but the percentage that mothers receive from it is also increasing if they return to work earlier – from 50 to 75 percent. Why hasn't anyone done it yet?“, the Minister of Social Affairs rhetorically asked.
Gutsanov also recalled that the minimum wage is being raised, which is 1,213 leva, and pensions will also be increased according to the Swiss rule. This will happen from July 1 next year and the increase will be between 7 and 8 percent. “The Swiss rule, which has not been respected for years, has it been respected? Yes, it has been respected?“, said the Minister of Social Affairs in the plenary hall.
The average pension of a pensioner is planned to increase by 8.5% compared to the Law on the Budget of the Social Insurance Institution for 2025 and reach 541.20 euros. With an expected inflation of 3.5%, the growth of pensions will increase their purchasing power.
„Confrontation is not a good advisor. And I think it would have been better if the debate in the hall had been more expert, and not just political“, added Gutsanov.
He noted that it is very rare for the draft law on the State Social Security budget to be unanimously adopted by both the Supervisory Board of the National Social Security Institute (NSSI) and the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation.
„This means that the intersection of the views of trade unions, employers, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP) and the NSSI management has been found“, said Borislav Gutsanov.
The Social Minister added that the MLSP is ready with its proposals on the roadmap for stabilizing the pension system. He recalled that it was the MLSP and the NSSI that launched the idea of updating the minimum insurance thresholds as part of the fight against the shadow economy - something that has not been done for nearly 10 years, and has been included as proposals in the roadmap.
Gutsanov also committed to steps aimed at greater justice in the system for people with disabilities. He emphasized that this is about joint actions with the Ministry of Health. “Why did none of you have the courage all these years to come out and talk about the problems in the TELKs, which I believe there are?“, the minister asked the opposition.
Minister Gutsanov also recalled other problems that have been neglected over the years by various departments, including the current opposition, which the government has the will to solve - such as the fight against illegal places for accommodation for the elderly, called rooms of horrors. He added that politics should not be done at the expense of vulnerable groups.